Day 24: So, is there an easy way, a power move way, to start talking to Jesus? Absolutely, yes, there is.
But if you feel guilty because your life is a mess, you’ll make the easy move, complicated.
Did someone say that you’re not worthy? Then that complicates things even more.
Until you make a small gap and accept that the power move works.
Consequently, your first step is to STOP LISTENING to people who want to keep you floating on the River of Shame. All they have to do is look at you in a certain way or shift their tone, and you take yourself out of the game.
Losing your focus, you slide into default position with your thoughts bouncing back and forth in the busy, split-mind-zone.
Definition: A power move is an assertive, often aggressive action taken to demonstrate dominance, control, or confidence in social, professional, or personal situations.
Congratulations, you’re back in the River of Shame.
That happens to everyone. And I do mean everyone.
Without respect or “fear [reverence] of the Lord,” your arrogance blocks communication anyway. And that is exactly why you don’t feel anything as you’re bobbing along, seated comfortably in your inner tube, on the lazy River of Shame, drinking your mocktail through a straw.
I do not perceive my own best interests. ACIM Lesson 24
LOCATION MATTERS! And now, you are in the wrong place. Again.
So, what is the power move that quickly shifts your thinking from River of Shame to River of Grace?
I want to give you the answer quickly because it’s simple, direct and anyone can do it. But if you feel awkward, hesitant or even terrified to let your guard down to Jesus, you might not believe me.
Especially if you have a history of being bullied by (uptight) Christians, or your parents, for example.
For those who don’t understand how that could happen, here’s a brief explanation.
It can be, for instance, a display of arrogance based on “I got here first”, meaning I’ve been here longer than you, or even, “You can’t name all the books in the Bible (quote a verse, etc.). So, you need to go through all the steps just like I did.”
Basically, it’s a power move to push you to the outside track. They let you know that they have the inside track, and you need something from them to move forward (their approval, for instance). Demon Spotters will recognize the unfriendly combination: Grandiose (insult) plus the Eddie (insider/outsider) Attack.
See how the game works? The attacks are designed to distract you from your connection to the Unified Mind in the River of Grace.
Obviously, if parents (and the others who care about you) knew how they were interfering, they would stop doing that. If you’re bullying someone, please stop. It will backfire on you.
That’s why this next step is so important. Because ANYONE can do it!
Power Move: Dancing with Jesus! Laughing with Jesus! Make friends with Jesus before you drop the heavy stuff in your life on him. Yes, you are allowed.
Guess what! You don’t need someone to usher you into the presence of God. You just use your imagination, your willingness and your sense of humor to get you started.
CLUE PHONE: Jesus knows all about your heavy stuff. And he wants to dance with you anyway. Um, dancing not your thing? Then, go fishing with him instead. Jesus loves fishing. Hey! Do whatever you think your new friend, Jesus, would enjoy doing together. Besides dancing, me and Jesus like watching UFC (combat sports) and training mixed martial arts (MMA). His delight fills the room when the winner of the fight points to the sky and says, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
Put some music on! I feel like jamming to Aretha Franklin!
"Knew you'd be a vision in white.
How'd you get your pants so tight?
Don't know what you're doin'
But you must be livin' right.
Yeah!
Oh, we got some places to see.
I brought all the maps with me.
So jump in, it ain't no sin.
Take a ride in my machine."
Freeway of Love (1985)
Songwriters: Narada Michael Walden / Jeffrey Cohen
Power Move phrases people say to shift you from the River of Grace to the River of Shame.
Your Mission: Don’t let them grind you down or move you off your post. A stare-down (strong look) is a good, non-combative approach to handling stupid people saying stupid things.
Definition: To “stare down” someone is to look at them intently without blinking or looking away until they submit, feel uncomfortable, or avert their gaze. It is a display of intimidation, dominance, or bravery used to force someone to back down or to courageously face a dangerous situation.
"Fools quickly show that they are upset, but the wise ignore insults."
Proverbs 12:16
Plus, it’s gangster to dance in front of someone who is trying to smack you in the face with a wet fish. Or rain on your parade. And the list goes on…
- Take your knees out from under you.
- Wipe the smile off your face.
- Throw a spanner in the works.
- Take you down a peg (or a notch).
- Bring you back down to earth.
- Put you in your place.
- Burst your bubble.
- Throw cold water on your plan or excitement.
- Drop a turd in the swimming pool. (But really, it’s a Babe Ruth candy bar.)
“These phrases all signify ruining someone’s enjoyment, excitement, or plans by bringing negative news or a pessimistic attitude.” Thank you, AI, for this miserable list created by humanity. Anyone saying these words to you is attempting to shift your mind, will and emotions from accessible to blocked.
Combination: Grandiose (insult) to Eddie Attack (insider / outsider).
And do I need to remind you that if you are the one causing the tension, don’t be surprised by all the new problems suddenly showing up in your life.
Hey! You opened the door.
You reap what you sow because “God don’t like ugly [behavior].”
Power Move: Laughing opens your heart. Ignore the people who are trying so hard to cause tension. A malleable heart, meaning capable of being shaped, bent, or drawn out, is what happens in the River of Grace.
Meet Team Trinity with humility and respect. That’s how you set the stage for miracles of healing to begin. The more time you spend with Jesus, the Holy Spirit and your Heavenly Father (Team Trinity), the more healing you experience. Then, your healing spreads to help other people soften their hearts and be healed by Jesus.
"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart."
Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)
Introducing Professor Jesus, Chief Instructor, DramaGuru Academy
Power Move: Spend more time connecting and chatting with Professor Jesus and less time jibber-jabbering with miserable, disconnected people.
For right now, this is just an introduction. Spend time playing, hanging out, dancing and doing stuff with Jesus to break down some barriers. While that’s happening, we’re continuing on with the lessons from A Course in Miracles (ACIM).
ACIM Lesson 24 is one of my favorites: “I do not perceive my own best interests.”
Next, as you read the following paragraphs from ACIM lesson 24, imagine Professor Jesus is speaking directly to you. This is good feedback from our Lord and Master. It’s a reflection of how you sound when you’re floating on that inner-tube on the lazy River of Shame, mulling over your situations in chaotic split-mind mode.
Dear Student, “In no situation which arises do you realize the outcome that would make you happy. Therefore, you have no guide to appropriate action, and no way of judging the result. What you do is determined by your perception of the situation, and that perception is wrong.
It is inevitable, then, that you will not serve your best interests…. If you realized that you do not serve your own best interests, you could be taught what they are… You have a number of goals in mind as part of the desired outcome, and also, that these goals are on different levels and often conflict.
… You are making a large number of demands of the situation, which have nothing to do with it. You’ll also recognize that many of your goals are contradictory, that you have no unified outcome in mind, and that you must experience disappointment in connection with some of your goals, however the situation turns out.”
So, you want to be a Demon Spotter? First, you have to recognize the holes in your game.
ACIM Lesson 24 Homework
“In the situation involving __________, I would like __________ to happen, and __________ to happen.” (Fill in the blanks.)
A Course In Miracles (ACIM): Workbook Lesson 24 (full text – free to read)
Note to Reader: When I pray or chat with Jesus, and my requests follow this format, I am getting it wrong, as already noted above.
Power Move: What I really should do is ask Jesus what he thinks is the best thing to happen in this situation. He has a point of view that I don’t have. His answer is always right.
Jesus is the best cornerman you could ever ask for.
A Course in Miracles (ACIM), Lesson 24 video
I do not perceive my own best interests. ACIM Lesson 24
A Course In Miracles (ACIM): Workbook Lesson 24 (full text – free to read)
Disclaimer for quotes: I use an AI tool to capture quotes. It corrects grammar as people are speaking. Why? It’s very annoying. But, it is quick. And the relevance of the quote isn’t changed. So, what do you think? Are these robots a help or a hindrance? Only time will tell.
DramaGuru Academy is here to teach you how to navigate the situations in your life. Through Demon Spotting lessons, we reveal the patterns of any demon who is interfering with you and your loved ones. We show you how to stare those demons down as you advance confidently from the First Heaven, through the Second Heaven, towards the Third Kingdom of Heaven.
